Hibernian 3-0 Tbilisi Nike: 'Special' Jamie-Lee Napier double in Champions League opener
- Published
Colette Cavanagh scored a superb opener for Hibs
A half-time pep talk helped Jamie-Lee Napier score twice and give Hibernian a winning start to their Champions League campaign, said head coach Grant Scott.
Napier's two second-half goals complimented Colette Cavanagh's first-half opener as Hibs defeated Georgian champions Tbilisi Nike in their qualifying group game in Slovenia.
It was the first of three games Hibs need to come through to reach the knockout stages.
"She's a special player," said Grant.
"We're so protective over Jamie-Lee. She's such a well-rounded girl. At such a young age she's a leader in the group. Again she's come up trumps, her movement off the ball, her desire to get in and make stuff happen.
"She got a little frustrated - she felt she hadn't really affected the game too much in the first half. But we just told her to keep plugging away and sure enough, she goes right to the end, she never gives up."
Scott's side face Wales' Cardiff Met on Saturday, who opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Slovenian hosts Pomurje Beltinci. Only the group winners qualify for the knockout stages of the competition.
Despite soaring temperatures, Hibs dominated the 90 minutes, but initially struggled to turn their superiority into goals.
Cavanagh, though, unleashed a stunning strike from the edge of the box in the first half.
Shannon McGregor put her shot over with the goal at her mercy on the stroke of half-time.
But Napier put the result beyond doubt when she drove through the defence and lobbed the goalkeeper in the 68th minutes, before scoring inside the near post in time added on.
All kick-offs are UK times